“Of course,” replied Bixby, “and they’ll try to make you pay ten times what the damage really amounts to. But you leave all that to me. I can handle these fellows better than you can!”
“We shall be glad to have you do so!” Glenn replied.
In a moment the automobile ran up to the planes and stopped. Of the four men it contained, three alighted and approached Bixby.
“These are the guards,” the latter said turning to the boys.
The men, who seemed both willing and efficient, drew a long rope and several steel stakes from the automobile and began enclosing the machines with the same. As the rope was strung out, the constantly increasing crowd was pushed back beyond the circle.
“Won’t they make trouble for the guards during the night?” asked Ben.
“I think not,” was the reply. “I have already arranged for a number of native policemen to assist these men.”
“Gee!” exclaimed Carl, “I guess Mr. Havens picked out the right man!”
“How did he know we were going to stop at Quito?” asked Ben.
“He didn’t know!” replied Bixby. “But he surmised that you’d be obliged to land here in order to fill your fuel tanks.”